dB Festival 2008: Deconstructing Pop

Pop and electronic music have celebrated a collaborative history for nearly 30 years. Since the early days of New Wave and Industrial music of the 70’s and 80’s, pop has embraced technology, offering a synthetic sound palette that opened doors for hip hop, electro, techno and contemporary synth pop. With the recent advent of computer-based production tools has come a seemingly endless array of creative possibilities. Through the 90’s underground sounds of digital pioneers like Aphex Twin began influencing pop music and before long, pop icons like Radiohead were diving in headfirst and fully incorporating digital technology, which offered increased flexibility and precision, unique sound design, vocal treatments and arrangements that were impossible with traditional hardware-based production tools. This deconstruction of established pop music has been the focus of many contemporary subgenres ranging from abstract hip hop to indie pop to underground dance music. The epicenter of this movement is Berlin, home to a plethora of electronic music composers embracing pop, hip hop and indie rock. Artists like Apparat, Modeselektor, Miss Kitten and Ellen Allien have all proven that electronic sound works just as well on the radio or rock club as it does on the dance floor.

Headlining this international bill we have two of Berlin’s finest, Jahcoozi and Barbara Morgenstern. Jahcoozi, lead by London born Sri Lankan front woman Sasha Perera, is a unique dance hybrid that brings together the political unrest of M.I.A. with the frenetic beats of Modeselektor. Co-headlining the bill are Japanese born Tujiko Noriko and the Puerto Rican born quartet Balún, both of whom conjure dreamy pop landscapes that will appeal to fans of the female electronic pop stylings of Bjork and Mum. Opening the “Destructing Pop” showcase will be Careen Ajar, making their Seattle debut with help from video guru Scott Pagano.